Calendar
The Known World takes 400 days to travel round its sun, a much larger and hotter star than our own, and is orbited by two moons. The larger of these - known in The Empire as Mannslieb ("Beloved of Manann") - has a cycle of 25 days from full to full and looks not unlike the moon of our own world. The other - named Morrslieb ("Beloved of Mórr") - is erratic, appearing now closer, now further away than its partner. There are two main legends concerning the origins and nature of Morrslieb. According to the first, it was once a gateway in the sky, through which daemons came to prey upon the people of the Known World. Mórr inflicted a great and terrible death upon them and fashioned the second moon out of the wreckage, so that mortals would never forget how the god had saved them. The second legend maintains that when Chaos first broke through into the Known World, a great block of Warpstone was hurled high into the sky, where it circles endlessly, spreading Chaos on the lands over which it passes. This legend is believed mainly by the followers of Chaos, who hold festivals when Morrslieb is full. (Morrslieb's orbit is chaotic and cannot be predicted more than a few days in advance. However, it is always full on Hexensnacht and Geheimnisnacht.) The Imperial Calendar ♦ First day of Spring. ♦♦ First day of Summer. ♦♦♦ First day of Autumn. ♦♦♦♦ First day of Winter. ♠ Full moon (Mannslieb). ♠♠ New moon (Mannslieb). The year begins on a different day of the week, depending on the year. The day listed below that the year begins on is on 1 Nachexen (as Hexenstag has no day of the week). *Years ending in 00, 04, 08, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, 40, 44, 48, 52, 56, 60, 64, 68, 72, 76, 80, 84, 88, 92, or 96 begin on Wellentag. *Years ending in 01, 05, 09, 13, 17, 21, 25, 29, 33, 37, 41, 45, 49, 53, 57, 61, 65, 69, 73, 77, 81, 85, 89, 93, or 97 begin on Marktag. *Years ending in 02, 06, 10, 14, 18, 22, 26, 30, 34, 38, 42, 46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 70, 74, 78, 82, 86, 90, 94, or 98 begin on Bezahltag. *Years ending in 03, 07, 11, 15, 19, 23, 27, 31, 35, 39, 43, 47, 51, 55, 59, 63, 67, 71, 75, 79, 83, 87, 91, 95, or 99 begin on Angestag. Months And Festivals There are almost as many calendars in the Known World as their are races and countries, but the one shown here is standard throughout The Empire (and, inevitably, in the kingdoms and countries around it). The Imperial calendar divides the year into 12 months of 32 or 33 days and six days that fall between months and are not numbered. Four of these are festivals connected to seasonal events - the summer and winter solstices and the spring and autumn equinoxes - while the other two mark the occasions when both moons are full. These last are greatly feared and even the most hardened cynics stay out of the eerie light cast by the moons on Hexensnacht ("Witching Night") and Geheimnisnacht ("Night of Mystery"). The months may be translated as "After-Witching", "Year-Turn", "Ploughtide", "Sigmar-tide", "Summertide", "Fore-Mystery", "After-Mystery", "Harvest-tide", "Brewmonth", "Chillmonth", "Ulric-tide", and "Fore-Witching". Athough the names of the days, months, and festivals change from country to country and there are a few minor regional differences, the same calendar is observed throughout the Old World. Major religious festivals are as follows: Days Of The Week There are eight days in the Imperial week, whose names probably date back to pre-Empire times: Wellentag, Aubentag, Marktag, Backertag, Bezahltag, Konistag, Angestag, Festag. In order, they could be translated as "Workday", "Levyday", "Marketday", "Bakeday", "Taxday", "Kingday", "Startweek", and "Holiday". However, the reasons for such names are now largely forgotten - a market day can be any day of the week, depending where you go in the Empire, while holidays vary according to deity of the local temple(s). Of the eight days of the week, Festag is technically a day of rest, reserved for Worship. Shops should be shut and no work or trade done. However, this varies from area to area, depending on the harshness of the local ruler and the amount of hold that priests and temples have over the local community. Within The Empire, major festivals and feast-days do not fall on a day of the week. Imagine it as: Monday, Tuesday, Midsummer Day, Wednesday, Thursday... This gives the festivals an extra emphasis, making them stand apart from the rest of the week. Festivals and feast-days are not normal days, they are important events in the religions and beliefs of the Old World and they are far more than an excuse for a day off. Anyone who expects to find people conducting normal business on a festival-day is going to be disappointed. There are other feast-days in the calendar, but most of them are only observed in certain areas or by certain groups of people. A day sacred to Verena will be observed by scholars, scribes, lawyers, and any profession linked to learning or justice, for example. Towns and cities will have special holidays in memory of local heroes or major days in the area's history, such as the ending of a siege, a famous victory, the overthrowing of a tyrant, or the anniversary of the birth or death of a well-loved ruler. Category:Background Category:World Guide